The Marketer’s Storybook: A Week of Creativity, Crisis Management, and Cutting-Edge Innovation
This week’s newsletter starts with a request for help. And let’s be clear – I really dislike asking for help – so you know this is a last resort.
I’m facing an issue with the YouTube Partner Program and Adsense. My YouTube channel is linked to an old Adsense account I deleted years ago, preventing me from applying for the program. I have another Adsense account that’s verified and ready to go that appears on my YouTube back end, which makes this issue so strange. The rep assisting me says I need to reactivate the deleted account to migrate to my current one, but I’ve tried every recovery option without success. While the rep is helpful, they can’t resolve this, and we’re stuck in a loop. If you know anyone at YouTube or Google Adsense who could help reactivate the old account or unlink it from my channel, I’d be incredibly grateful. I’m also happy to help document this as a training case for support teams.
When I am not in never-ending customer support chats, I’ve enjoyed long walks to soak in the beauty of the city – like this week’s stunning header image that I took of the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Now, on to the newsletter, which I know is really why you’re here! Here’s what’s making waves in marketing and storytelling this week – from historic Nokia design inspiration to TikTok’s tumultuous future and the creative power of brand experiences. It’s a good one with a variety of inspiration, brand stories and breaking news.
Let’s dive in!
This Week’s Marketing Stories
A curated mix of breaking news, insights, and trends, each with actionable takeaways to inspire your brand storytelling.
1. 5 of Nokia’s Coolest Gadgets That You’ve Probably Never Seen
Nokia’s Design Archive offers a behind-the-scenes look at two decades of design, featuring iconic products like the Banana phone and early 3G concepts. Read More
Key Takeaway: Telling stories about a brand’s heritage can reignite consumer interest and highlight its innovation legacy.
Disclosure: This is a project our team at Nokia worked on and I am proud to share it.
2. Chick-fil-A Fans Are Extra Salty Over Its Recipe Change for Waffle Fries—For Good Reason
Chick-fil-A’s revamped fry recipe has drawn criticism from loyal fans who miss the softer original. Read More
Key Takeaway: Changes to iconic products can alienate core customers. Test thoroughly and communicate transparently to maintain trust.
3. Coors Light Is Changing Its Name—Temporarily Coors Light’s rebranding to “Mondays Light” aims to connect with consumers dreading the post-Super Bowl Monday blues. The campaign takes inspiration from the famous line in the movie Office Space of, “Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays.” Clever elements include purposely misspelling ads to spark social media word of mouth and responding with “case of the Mondays” references. Read More
Key Takeaway: Tapping into cultural moments with creative campaigns can elevate brand relevance and engagement. Also: any campaign that references one of my favorite movie lines of all time is going to get my attention. The misspellings are a bit gimmicky but align with the overall campaign message and successfully drove word of mouth sharing of the campaign.
4. Everything You Need to Know About Meta’s Change in Content Rules
Meta’s decision to drop fact-checkers and loosen content rules has sparked concerns over misinformation. Read More
Key Takeaway: If you have a presence on Meta for your company, make sure to monitor shifts in its platform policies to assess risks for brand safety and adapt your marketing strategies accordingly.
5. How X, Meta, and Bluesky Are Taking Advantage of the TikTok Ban with New Video Features
While the TikTok ban was short lived, that didn’t stop competing platforms from rolling out video tools and features to attract creators and users displaced. Let the creator market share grab begin! Read More
Key Takeaway: Don’t hate the player, hate the game. I don’t blame other social platforms for trying to capitalize on TikTok’s demise in the United States. This happens all the time in business. Agility in responding to competitive disruptions can position brands as go-to alternatives for underserved audiences.
6. Instagram Shares Key Areas of Focus in 2025 Instagram plans to enhance creative tools, reward original content, and double down on messaging to foster deeper connections. Read More
Key Takeaway: Supporting original creators and prioritizing user connections can differentiate a platform in a crowded market.
7. Pakistani Airline Apologizes for Ominous 9/11-Style Paris Ad Featuring Eiffel Tower
Pakistan International Airlines faced backlash over an ad promoting flights to Paris, which unintentionally evoked imagery of 9/11. You have to read this article to see the hilarious reactions on social media. Read More
Key Takeaway: Companies can unintentionally cause their own brand crisis if they don’t do their diligence when posting content online or launching new campaigns. Always assess creative from multiple perspectives to avoid unintended associations that could damage your brand’s reputation.
8. State Farm Halts Super Bowl Ad, Delays Severance Campaign as LA Fires Rage
State Farm paused its ad campaigns to focus on providing support to wildfire-affected customers. Read More
Key Takeaway: File this one under a smart move – State Farm is under fire (pun intended) for discontinuing coverage for 72,000 houses and apartments in the state. Running a Super Bowl ad would be the equivalent of pouring gasoline on a fire for the company in terms of attracting negative attention to their business decision not to continue covering specific areas of LA that were later impacted by the tragic fires. To offer balanced coverage here, I wanted to share State Farm’s statement on their pressroom of what they are doing to help customers they insure impacted by the fires, which includes, “Receiving over 8,300 home and auto claims and have already put well over $50 Million back into customers’ hands. These numbers will rise as residents return and assess damage.” Read more
9. The North Face Appeals to All 5 Senses to Bring the Outdoors into Its London Flagship The North Face combines immersive sensory elements with interactive tools to create a unique retail experience. For example, the store’s centerpiece is its Dome Tent, where shoppers can lay down and look up at AI-generated content that will take them through a 30-minute visual journey, featuring natural soundscapes and visuals to take the viewer from day to night. Read More
Key Takeaway: I need to go check out the store in person – it looks really interesting. Experiential storytelling in retail can elevate brand perception and foster deeper customer engagement. Let me know if you would be interested in me writing a story on the experiential storytelling in The North Face’s new London flagship store.
10. TikTok Is Back Online, but Its Ultimate Fate in America Still Lies in Trump’s Hands
I saved the most dramatic story for last! The soap opera drama continues as TikTok’s temporary U.S. return now depends on negotiations over its ownership and national security concerns. Read More
Key Takeaway: This story is far from over. Oh, and a bit of an obvious recommendation that I have been saying for years. Whether you are a company or a creator, diversifying social media platforms mitigates risk amid regulatory challenges affecting key channels. Social media channels will always be “rented land,” so make sure to also invest in building your owned channels, including your website, blog, email, and content library of white papers, eBooks, webinars, videos, and case studies (usually hosted on your website).
My Stories
While I work on new blog posts for JessicaGioglio.com, please enjoy a few of my most-read blog posts!
How Oreo Won The Solar Eclipse With Its Clever Integrated Campaign: https://jessicagioglio.com/oreo-solar-eclipse/
3 Inspiring Examples of Brand Storytelling: https://jessicagioglio.com/3-inspiring-examples-of-brand-storytelling/
Unlock More of My Stories
🌍 Website: JessicaGioglio.com Your one-stop shop for all my books, speaking engagements, and blog posts on marketing and storytelling.
📚 Books:
- The Power of Visual Storytelling: Learn how to shape a visual story around your brand using images, videos, GIFs, infographics, and more. Get your copy here.
- The Laws of Brand Storytelling: The definitive guide to using storytelling to win over customers’ hearts, minds, and loyalty. Grab it here.
📱 Social Media:
Let’s connect and keep the conversation going!
Until Next Time
Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re here for marketing trends, storytelling inspiration, or both, I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.
Keep telling the stories that matter, Jessica